Digital drive launches ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day

Blackburn with Darwen Council will mark this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday, September 10 with a week-long digital drive of awareness raising activity.

With the coronavirus pandemic unfortunately making a town hall vigil impossible this year, the activity will move online with the Council spending the whole week signposting to vital local suicide prevention and mental health awareness services through its social media channels.

As in previous years a 40 seconds’ silence will take place at 11.40am on World Suicide Prevention Day to signify the fact that in their ‘eleventh hour’ one person dies of suicide around the world every 40 seconds.

With no ability to gather in public, people are encouraged to take part in this quiet period of reflection at home, work or wherever you are at the time.

The Council is teaming up with Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System on the online campaign, promoting suicide prevention activity and key mental health services from across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Those will include: Zero Suicide Alliance, Papyrus, Samaritans, Togetherall, Kooth, Every Mind Matters, Time to Change and Realign Futures.

Other activity taking place during the week includes an event hosted by Blackburn with Darwen’s Adult Learning Team.

Join online to create messages of hope and love to display around your home and garden to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day.

Sign up here.

World Suicide Prevention Day will also see the public launch of I Made This For You.

The searingly honest British feature film tackles mental health, depression and suicide head on.

Watch it free from World Suicide Prevention Day via the film’s website.

Keep an eye on Blackburn with Darwen Council’s social media channels Twitter  / Facebook as the campaign rolls out this week.

In the UK suicide is the leading cause of death of young people under 35 and the leading cause of death of men under 45.

Suicide prevention has been one of Blackburn with Darwen Council’s key corporate campaigns to support over a number of years given the increasing awareness of this vitally important issue both locally and nationally.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:

It is a shame that coronavirus has put paid to a town hall vigil this year as the impact is always massive however I’m pleased that we are able to join with partners and undertake our usual awareness raising activity online. The effects of suicide spread far and wide with family, friends and whole communities impacted. Every story is heart breaking and we must do what we can to break the silence.

Paul Hopley, ICS Mental Health Deputy Director, said:

Marking World Suicide Prevention Day this year is more important than ever. 2020 has been a year of great change for all of us, so we’d urge everyone in Blackburn and Darwen to take part in this quiet moment of reflection, wherever they are on September 10th.